


A Beautiful Disaster

by JasmineTeaLatte



Series: The Phoenix and the Dragon [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Drinking, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Mild Smut, One-sided Aang/Katara (Avatar), Zutara Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:21:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasmineTeaLatte/pseuds/JasmineTeaLatte
Summary: The morning after the party, Katara and Zuko are forced to confront the fallout of their actions as Aang tries to work through his feelings.Written for Zutara Week 2020 - Day 5: Hesitancy
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: The Phoenix and the Dragon [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1847290
Comments: 34
Kudos: 318





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple of quick notes. One, I never understood why the GAang never told Zuko prior to the finale that they were going to postpone the fight against Ozai until after Sozin's Comet. Seriously, how did that never come up while they were training? I didn't buy it back when I watched the finale in '08 and I still feel like that was a bit of filler or something. Hence why I'm ignoring that altogether and replacing it with another, messier fight. 
> 
> Two, you know how the last couple of entries have been mostly fluff? Here's where I pull the rug out from underneath and deliver a heap of angst and drama. It doesn't get dark, per se, but it does get a bit ugly at times, and certain lines are crossed. I debated writing Aang's ultimate blow-up the way I did, but in the end I justified it like so: 
> 
> At the end of the day, the Avatar is still a human and is susceptible to the full range of human emotions - love, jealousy, wrath, etc. I worried a bit that Aang and Zuko's fallout comes across as somewhat regressive to their character arcs, but hormones throw everything out of whack. 
> 
> (Personal example that I drew upon for this entry: in high school my best friend and I liked the same guy, but he ended up dating her. Things got u-g-l-y between her and I, and we both said horrible things to each other before we finally realized what idiots we were being. We made up while they were still dating (some time later they broke up for unrelated reasons), and since then we've never let another guy come between our friendship.)
> 
> Which is my long-winded way of saying that between tempers flaring from the stress of preparing for Sozin's Comet, plus all of the drama that comes with unrequited love/jealousy/etc., causes a few characters to snap. Let me know what you think. 
> 
> Anywho, on to the story. Thank you to everyone's who read so far and left Kudos! You're much appreciated.

Katara managed to get in another hour or so of sleep after she and Zuko returned from the beach.

He pulled her in for one last kiss before dropping her off at her door, and she stifled giggles so she wouldn’t disturb anyone.

Once she was back in her room she discovered light traces of sand still on her clothes and in her hair, which she supposed wouldn't go away until she washed them. But she opted to fall back asleep before then, wanting to keep the scent of him on her skin just a bit longer.

When she awoke later the sun had fully risen, and she smiled sleepily to herself. Then she slowly sat up as the weight of their actions from the night before came flooding back.

The prince had admitted his love for her, and while she hadn’t said it back, she’d reciprocated his affections. Then they had – well, they’d done a _lot_ more than she’d originally planned to down by the shoreline, she thought while blushing furiously.

Was it because of the full moon? Maybe. At least Zuko hadn’t seemed offended by her, um, actions. She'd stopped them before they took things far enough to get dangerous, though, and thankfully he’d been understanding.

She took her time rinsing away the beach and all traces of him, and her fingers trembled slightly as she dressed and styled her hair.

He _loved_ her. The prince of the Fire Nation who, up until a few months ago she’d considered her sworn enemy. Granted, he could have just gotten carried away by hormones or some other factors, but still.

He wasn't one to make baseless statements like that.

“Water is the element of change,” she told herself, taking a final look at her appearance in the mirror. 

Katara knew Aang wouldn’t be too happy regarding their disappearance last night, and she found herself stalling until she finally worked up the courage to leave her room.

Before she headed downstairs to set up for breakfast, she knew there was a conversation she needed to have with Zuko first.

~*~*~

She stopped by his bedroom and lightly rapped her knuckles against the wood. When he opened the door a few moments later, she saw he’d been meditating as he usually did in the mornings, judging by the row of lit candles.

His face split into a wide smile, and she felt something inside of her melt into a puddle. How had she never noticed before how gorgeous those golden eyes were?

He pulled her inside quickly and closed the door. Before she could say a word, he pushed her up against the wall and was kissing her feverishly. She had risen with the moon last night and had been the dominating one, and now that he'd risen with the sun, it was his turn to take charge.

Everything she’d been about to say died in her throat, and she found herself kissing him back as his hips ground slowly against hers. From the corner of her eye she noticed the candles burning a bit stronger than they had a few seconds ago.

It wasn’t until his hand slid down to bring her leg up around his waist that she remembered why she was there.

“Zuko, hey,” she whispered, carefully pushing it back. “Listen. Surely the others realized we were both gone last night, and we need to figure out what to tell them.”

He shrugged his shoulders as if that was the last thing on his mind.

“The truth?" he offered. "I mean, not the really, really good parts…”

He ground his hips against hers again, bringing back glorious memories of when she’d ridden him in the sand until she’d worn him out, and then some. Even after he’d come undone, clinging to her and gasping her name, she’d continued rocking against him for a few minutes more before she followed suit.

The memory of how breathless he'd been after everything was still white-hot sensitive, and yet she pushed his ecstasy to a completely new level, was one he knew he’d re-visit for the rest of his life. 

He made a mental note to return the favor the first chance he got. He could just picture it now, her hands tangled in his hair as he kissed his way down her stomach… But she sadly interrupted his daydreams by moving away from him and sitting on the edge of his bed.

“I’m serious,” she said, frowning slightly and crossing her arms. “I just don’t want things to be awkward.”

Zuko had always charged headfirst into situations, even to his own detriment sometimes, and he figured he may as well do so now to get to the root of the problem.

“Why would it be awkward?” he asked, holding his arms out. “We danced together and went off by ourselves afterwards. If you’re embarrassed, we’ll just tell them we talked all night.”

She shook her head.

“I’m worried about how Aang’s going to react,” she said softly.

Of course she was. Zuko had worshipped the ground Katara walked on for some time now, but if there was one fault she possessed, it was her constant tiptoeing around the Avatar so he wouldn’t explode in a rage or fly off.

He knew he was being a bit hypocritical, since just the previous afternoon he'd been apprehensive of causing a disturbance in their group by acting on his crush. Before Zuko knew she reciprocated his feelings, he’d been content sitting back and not making any waves, especially if it meant coming between Aang and Katara.

But now that he knew for a fact she had feelings for him too, he didn’t want to hide it. It was just unfortunate that he happened to be his friend’s only source of firebending knowledge who could teach him in time before Sozin’s Comet arrived.

That meant he’d have to look Aang in the face later that day, who’d know that his friend had kissed and done not-so-innocent things with the girl he harbored feelings for. If the roles were reversed, Zuko knew he’d be furious.

But then a selfish part of him just didn’t _care_. He loved Katara, and she at least liked him enough to stay out all night and seduce him on the beach. Was it too much to ask for everyone else not to make a big deal out of it?

He ran a hand distractedly through his hair.

“Katara, you know you can’t baby him forever.”

She bristled slightly.

“I’m not babying him. I’m just trying to make sure no one’s feelings get hurt.”

Zuko couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes.

“So, you’re saying we pretend like nothing happened?” he asked. “Go back to acting like we’re just friends so Aang won’t get upset and fly off like he always does when things don’t go his way?”

Now she was starting to look mad. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. Was it wrong that he was starting to get turned on again, just a little? _She's more like a firebender than she knows_ , he thought, suppressing a smirk.

“Zuko…” she started, then stopped. “I’m just trying to make sure things don’t fall apart. Can’t you please just work with me?”

He took a step towards her and took her hands in his.

“Look, I know he’ll be mad at me. He has every right to be upset. But it’s not your job to protect him from everything, Katara. Sooner or later he has to grow up.”

“But he’s already been through so much,” she protested. “In spite of everything that happened to me and my tribe, at least I still have my family and my people. Aang has no one.”

Of course. If it weren’t for his ancestors setting out to burn the world down, she would still have her mother and her home village would be flourishing with other waterbenders. The Fire Nation had seen fit to nearly wipe them out altogether, just like they’d decimated the Air Nomads.

He knew she didn’t blame him anymore, but he still felt guilty. Something clicked in his mind, and he was surprised he hadn’t realized it earlier. He looked down.

“Are you ashamed to be seen with me?” he asked quietly, dreading the answer. "The prince of the nation that singlehandedly destroyed your home?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head.

“Zuko, no. That’s not it. It’s just…”

“Well, what is it, then?” he said with a bit more force than he’d meant to, and she let go of his hands. "I don't want to hide this, Katara. I care about you and I don't think it's asking too much for everyone else to be grown up about it."

By everyone else, though, they both knew he meant one person and one person only.

Zuko knew he was slipping up again, and it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down like it always did.

She shook her head in exasperation.

“It just feels like I’m the only one around here trying to make sure we all get along and everyone’s taken care of. We don’t have much time before the comet comes, and all I’m asking for is a little help this one time. Please?”

She was right, and he was being an angry jerk like he always was. He also knew he acted a bit too possessive in relationships – after all, he’d once had a huge fight with Mai over that – and he really was trying to change.

He sighed and forced himself to settle down, letting out a small puff of smoke.

“You’re right, Katara,” he said nodding. “I’m sorry.”

He held his arms out, and she quickly filled them.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, hugging him. “But what are we going to tell the others?”

He squeezed her gently.

“I still say we tell them we just hung out and talked all night,” he offered. “I don’t think Toph will try to call us out, either. She knows about Aang’s crush on you too, and I don’t see her jeopardizing everything just for the sake of it.”

Katara rolled her eyes.

“Have you met Toph?” she asked, but she was grinning.

Then it turned into a slight frown, and she pulled back to look up at him.

"Zuko," she began, her heart suddenly pounding. "Last night... you told me that you loved me. I..."

"Want to know if I meant it?" he finished, his eyes not leaving hers.

She nodded, and he took a deep breath before he continued.

Unlike her, he'd been unable to fall asleep again after their return, so he spent the last few hours in meditation instead. It had given him ample time to reflect on his words by the shoreline and just how he would prove them to her.

"Well, that depends on how you define love," he said softly, using his thumbs to gently massage the palms of her hands. "I care about you and I want you to be happy even if it's with someone else - but obviously, I'd rather you be with me."

He held one of her hands to his lips.

"I love the way you care so deeply about others, even at your own expense, though I really wish you'd put yourself first more often," he murmured as his lips brushed sweet kisses all over her palm and fingertips. "I love the way you always stand up for what you think is right and how you seek to make the world a better place, even if it's the smallest change."

He moved to her other hand and kissed it as well.

"I love the way you see the good in people even when they can't see it themselves," he added. "Back in the catacombs, you were willing to help me even though I was still your enemy and didn't deserve it. Even after I returned home, I still thought about that and you all of the time. Then when I finally came to my senses, I knew I'd have to work to earn forgiveness from you and the others... but it was you I regretted hurting the most.”

He stopped kissing her hands then and looked into her eyes.

"But most of all, I love the way you're not afraid to call me out when I need it and put me in my place, which happens more often than I care to admit," he said quietly. "You make me want to be a better person, someone who's actually worthy of you."

She felt her cheeks flush and her pulse quicken. 

”What happened to the boy who got scared and ran away from pretty girls who kissed him?” was all she could say. 

He rested his forehead against hers, smiling. 

”Still right here,” Zuko whispered. “Still absolutely terrified, but I realized I was even more terrified of losing the chance to be with you.” 

Her stomach fluttered as he continued.

“I've never met anyone like you before, Katara. I just want you to feel as loved as you deserve to be."

Her breath caught in her throat, and she wanted to cry for some reason. He saw the look on her face and hurriedly wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek against her hair.

"Thank you," she whispered after a minute or two, and he kissed the top of her head.

"I don't want you to feel obligated into saying or doing anything before you're ready," he said, still holding her. "I just want you to know how I feel."

She nodded lightly and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I care about you too, Zuko," she admitted, "more than I ever thought possible. But... I'm not ready to say it back."

Her stomach suddenly dropped.

"Are you upset?" she asked and was relieved when he shook his head and gave her a smile, although it was tinged with a hint of sadness.

He kissed her hand again.

"Of course not," he reassured her. "Like I said, I just want you to know who I am and where I stand regarding us. It doesn't matter if it takes years or if you never end up feeling the same way. Which, clearly, is not ideal, but if that's what you want... I just want you to be happy."

She pulled him in for another hug. If she said anything just now, she was afraid she'd start crying.

They stood in silence for a few minutes until she composed herself and decided to pivot to a safer subject. 

"So..." she began, grinning up at him. "Last night was pretty fantastic. You're actually a really good dancer."

His eyes crinkled up as he smiled.

"It's easy when you've got such a great partner," he said, feeling himself shiver slightly as she planted a kiss on his neck. "You're pretty good at other things, too."

Her cheeks blushed.

"I wasn't too... much last night, was I?" she asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

He started kissing her again and his hands slid over her curves, giving her bottom a light squeeze.

"No complaints here," he breathed. "In fact, we have some time right now if you want to pick up where we left off... we can let the others figure out their own breakfast for once..."

But tragically for his fantasies, she smiled and kissed his cheek, shaking her head.

“Come on, Zuko," she said, taking his hand and leading him towards the door. "The sooner we get this over with and out in the open, the better.” 

Biting back a sigh, he waved his free hand and snuffed out the candles before they left.

~*~*~

That was the plan, anyways. Despite their heart-to-heart, they were still the first ones down in the kitchen that morning, so he helped her prepare breakfast and tea.

It took a bit longer than normal, though, because he kept stopping to kiss her, which she had to admit she didn’t really mind.

Toph and Suki were the first ones down and just barely avoided walking into yet another makeout session due to the earthbender stomping down the hallway as loudly as possible.

“Good morning, you two!” she chirped innocently. “How was your night? I had a _great_ time. What about you?”

Suki just grinned and shook her head. Toph may have been blind to the lovebirds’ furiously blushing faces, but she certainly wasn’t. Also, was it her imagination, or did the kitchen fire just blaze a bit hotter for a second?

“I think everyone had fun last night, Toph,” Suki said, trying to guide the subject towards something a little less embarrassing for the two. “We should definitely do it again. I haven’t danced like that in years! What about you, Katara?”

The waterbender seemed to be in a daze and stammered for an answer. After that little hiccup, the four managed to hold something resembling a normal conversation until Sokka walked in, yawning.

Which was a bit odd, because normally he was the last one to wake up.

“Morning, babe,” Suki said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, winking at Katara as if to reassure her. “I can’t believe you woke up before Aang.”

Sokka squeezed her for a second before turning to his sister.

“Actually, Aang’s already up. I saw him hanging out in the courtyard on my way over here,” he said, his voice lowering. “He looked upset.”

A guilty look washed over Katara’s face.

“I’ll go talk to him,” she said softly, glancing at Zuko.

He wanted to tell her to stop worrying about Aang for once and focus on herself, but he knew she’d get offended again. So, he just nodded in agreement.

After she left, Sokka wheeled around and cornered Zuko, who realized Suki and Toph were paying close attention to him as well.

“Look, I’m just going to come out and say it,” Sokka said. “We all know you left with my sister last night, and while you’re my friend and I trust her judgment, I’m still her big brother. Care to tell us where you slipped off to?”

Suddenly, Zuko wished he were facing down an enraged Avatar instead.

~*~*~

After his talk with Toph the night before, Aang had been willing to at least accept the idea of Katara dancing with Zuko, as much as it pained him.

But that sense of magnanimity disappeared the moment he walked back outside and realized they were gone. The only reason he hadn’t flown out immediately searching for them was because Toph threatened to encase him in metal for the rest of the night.

Sokka and Suki hadn’t noticed when Zuko and Katara slipped away, and although her older brother wasn’t exactly happy, he wasn’t upset either.

If this had been the same Zuko from a few years ago, Sokka supposed he’d be more outraged, but after everything the prince had done so far to redeem himself, he thought his friend at least deserved the benefit of the doubt.

While the other three had tried to lift Aang’s spirits and keep him distracted, he found himself sinking deeper and deeper into a gloom. After another hour or so of miserably trying to feign interest in their conversations and dances, he’d finally gone to bed.

He spent a miserable night tossing and turning before he'd finally given up on sleep just before dawn and sat by the window, watching the sunrise.

~*~*~

“Aang?” Katara called out softly as she walked into the courtyard.

She found him sitting with his back against the fountain, distractedly spinning a pebble around in the air. When he saw her approach, he dropped it and hopped to his feet.

“Morning Katara!” he said cheerfully, as if nothing had happened the night before.

He knew he should address the problem or at least not run from it, but he slipped back into old habits at the last second.

“I was thinking I could take a break from firebending this morning, and we could practice waterbending again instead. How does that sound?”

She knew he was trying to sidestep the problem and avoid having to interact with Zuko. Normally she might have relented, except the fate of the world depended on them getting along, and they were quickly running out of time.

She sighed. 

“Aang, I need to talk to you about last night,” she said softly, but the Avatar acted like he hadn’t heard her.

“Actually, can it wait? I’m about to grab breakfast,” he said in a tone too cheerful to be sincere. “I’m starving! Let’s go.”

With that, he darted off towards the kitchen. Katara sighed again and followed. This was going to be a disaster.

~*~*~

Zuko perked up when he saw Aang walk in almost cheerily a few minutes later, but those hopes were quickly shattered when he saw Katara trailing behind him, shaking her head at him.

He’d barely managed to answer Sokka’s brief interrogation honestly enough without giving anything away that would have gotten him eviscerated or sent him to an early grave. He’d been almost happy to see Aang's arrival, but judging by the look on Katara’s face, she hadn’t been able to get through to him.

He looked down and exhaled. A few minutes later, he was relieved when Katara silently sat next to him and, after a moment of hesitancy, reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze. Maybe there was hope after all?

But Aang wouldn’t look directly at him or even speak to him during breakfast, although he had no problem sweet-talking Katara and carrying on a conversation with the others, who had noticed but were pretending not to.

Toph looked agitated, though, and huffed each time Aang blatantly ignored Zuko (and he blatantly ignored those as well.)

After breakfast, she pulled Zuko aside and explained how she’d talked with him the night before.

“Give him a few days to cool down, then if he’s still mad I’ll sort it out,” she assured him.

He wished he could share her level of confidence.

~*~*~

 _This is a disaster_ , Zuko thought as he fought back the urge to burn something. 

Aang had convinced Katara to practice waterbending for an hour that morning, but Zuko finally insisted they move back to firebending.

At least he wasn’t ignoring him anymore, but his bending was atrocious. It seemed like he’d lost all of the progress he’d made since the day before and over the last few weeks, and Zuko knew he was partly to blame.

It was clear Aang was aware of how badly he was doing too, but he didn’t apologize. He just stomped his feet and huffed in exasperation.

After yet another failed attempt at creating an effective fire blast, Zuko finally called it a day. They hadn't been at it that long, but he just couldn’t deal with this anymore, at least without losing his temper.

Aang didn’t even bother to return his bow before he practically stormed off the courtyard.

Katara walked over to Zuko’s side, who had crossed his arms and was frowning after his pupil. She put her hand on his shoulder and rubbed it in encouragement. He looked down at her and sighed.

“This isn’t working.”


	2. Chapter 2

That afternoon, Suki pulled Katara away to the top corner of the steps while Sokka and Zuko faced off for another "swordbending" match in the courtyard, as Sokka so eloquently called it.

Now that the lovebirds had successfully gotten together, Toph wanted nothing more to do with matchmaking and declined joining the other two girls, sprawling out on the bottom step instead.

Aang had gone off in almost a huff to meditate, and the Kyoshi warrior was almost bursting with impatience to talk to her friend.

“So…” she whispered once the two were sure the clanging of swords would drown them out. “I take it things went well last night?”

Katara’s face flushed but she found herself grinning with her friend.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “It was perfect. I think I owe you both a huge thank you.”

Suki just laughed and waved her hand as if it were nothing, and Toph did the same from the bottom step.

“Okay, but you’ve got to give me all of the details! I saw you two slip away, but of course I told the others I missed it. What happened?”

The two girls giggled as Katara explained in hushed tones how they’d wound up on the beach and kissed for the first time beneath the moonlight beside the shore. She even told her friend about how she eventually straddled him near the waves, earning her an impressed smirk and soft round of applause from Suki.

“Atta girl!” she grinned. “And then what happened after you teased him ruthlessly?” 

Katara looked down, suddenly feeling her cheeks burn all over again.

“Suki, can I ask you something? When did you and my brother first say you loved each other?”

“Well, it was shortly after we got back from the Boiling Rock…” she began before it dawned on her.

She gawked at Katara.

“Wait, did he… did you?”

Katara nodded, blushing furiously and realized her heart was pounding.

“He admitted he loved me last night, and when I asked him this morning if he meant it, he said yes,” she whispered.

Toph, who had been listening in despite herself, bolted upright in surprise.

"No... way..." she mumbled quietly enough to go unnoticed by Sokka and the Lover Boy in question.

Last night Toph felt Zuko's heart practically go into palpitations when he saw Katara make her debut all dressed up, just like they'd planned. She'd even managed to catch bits of their conversation as the two of them danced together, so she knew things had gone well before they made their escape. 

_He's got it even worse than I thought_ , she mused, realizing suddenly Katara hadn't admitted yet if she returned those sentiments as well. Katara had feelings for the prince, sure, but love? Whoa. _Aang is not going to react well to this, either,_ she thought. _  
_

Suki, however, was not so subtle. She had always prided herself on remaining calm and composed under pressure, but she couldn’t help the shriek she let out.

Toph clapped her hands over her ears, scowling. Suki immediately covered her mouth with her hands, and Katara looked mortified.

“Sorry!” she whispered apologetically to both of them from behind her palms.

Both glanced over towards the courtyard and saw Sokka and Zuko had stopped and were staring in their direction, confused.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it!” Suki chirped innocently.

Then she and Katara burst into hysterics all over again.

“It’s just a giant bug!” Katara added, noting the blank look on her brother’s face and the slightly annoyed one on Zuko’s.

That just caused her to giggle even louder, and Suki immediately joined in. She took Katara's arm and led her away into the house as the two girls burst into laughter.

Toph considered tagging along, but decided to stretch back out on the steps instead. She didn't care for all of the gory details. That was Suki's department.

~*~*~

Sokka just shook his head and continued sparring against Zuko.

“Girls, man,” he said, shaking his head.

Zuko just nodded and blocked a strike with both of his broadswords. He knew the two were talking about what happened last night, which Sokka seemed to be aware of, but her brother thankfully didn't acknowledge that.

Based on Katara's furiously blushing face and Suki's shriek of surprise, he had a feeling he knew exactly what had been revealed.

He wanted to echo Sokka's statement but decided that agreeing how weird girls were would be in slightly bad form, considering one of them was his friend's sister - who he'd done not-so-innocent things with last night.

After a few minutes, Sokka spoke up again, almost as if reading his mind.

“Look buddy, I don't want to know the details," he said dramatically, flourishing his sword. "I just want you to know that you may be my friend, but if you break my little sister’s heart or if I catch you two doing anything less than virtuous, I’ll have to make you suffer."

Zuko couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes, but chose not to point out that technically, he could wipe the floor with Sokka with one hand tied behind his back.

Besides, he and Suki were constantly showering everyone else with their public displays of affection, but he opted not to point out the hypocrisy. He knew his friend just wanted to feel like he had done his due diligence as her older brother.

“You’re absolutely right,” Zuko deadpanned. “I’ll try to avoid incurring your almighty wrath.”

Sokka nodded in approval.

“Good answer,” he said, smirking.

“But just so you’re aware...” Zuko said, countering a swing and forcing the sword out of Sokka’s hands, sending it clattering to the ground. “At the end of the day I’m more scared of making her mad than I am of you.”

Her brother considered this and shrugged.

“That’s fair,” he agreed.

~*~*~

Much to Zuko's frustration, when the Avatar returned later that evening, he had gone back to ignoring him completely.

The only thing stopping him from getting in Aang's face and yelling at him to grow up already was a quick hand squeeze from Katara as she looked up at him nervously.

"I can't keep this up," he fumed later as they ended up sitting by themselves on the front patio that night after the others had gone to bed.

She sighed and nodded, leaning against his shoulder.

"I don't know what else to do," she admitted quietly. "We can't hide it, but we've got to find some way to get along. All I can say is please keep trying."

He nodded, frowning.

"Easier said than done," he mumbled, and she made a soft noise of agreement.

~*~*~

Zuko tolerated exactly two more wasted days of firebending practice and being ignored off the training court before he finally snapped. After yet another poor attempt at bending by Aang, the prince had had enough.

He knew Katara was going to kill him for this, but his patience could only stretch so thin. He threw all of his might into his next blast and aimed directly at Aang’s head.

That did the trick. The Avatar ducked and bended one of the tiles into a boulder towards Zuko, who dodged it just in time. The stone crashed against one of the courtyard pillars behind him.

Aang glared at his teacher.

“Are you crazy?!” he shouted. “What were you trying to do?!”

Sokka, who had been hanging around the courtyard that day sharpening his sword and watching their training, grimaced and stood up.

“Well, this is going to be bad,” he muttered to no one in particular.

He considered leaving his sword out but sheathed it after a moment. Katara had been practicing hand-to-hand combat with Suki nearby, and at the sound of the blast they both came running up.

“We heard a noise and yelling, what’s – “ Suki started to ask, but Zuko interrupted her.

“It’s _him_ ,” Zuko snapped. “He’s not even trying, and I’m sick of it. So let’s just get this over with, because I’m not going to dodge around the issue anymore.”

Katara looked at Suki and Sokka nervously, then began to speak.

“Are you sure that’s –“

Aang threw up his hands angrily.

“What’s there to talk about?” he hissed. “I’ve only got the fate of the entire world on my shoulders, and then the person I finally trusted and thought was my friend goes behind my back and betrays me. Of course I’m not okay. Of course my firebending has been terrible the last few days. You think I didn’t notice?”

“And then I’m stuck with the _traitor,”_ he added, gesturing to Zuko, who’d crossed his arms, “who’s responsible for it all in the first place!”

Zuko wanted nothing more than to punch him in the jaw, but a look at Katara stopped him. His tone softened just enough to be noticeable, but he still kept an edge in his voice.

“Aang, I know you’re upset," he said. "If I were in your place, I’d be furious too. But I’m not going to apologize for how I feel.”

He paused.

“I am sorry that you got hurt in the process, though.”

Unfortunately, he noticed his friend wasn’t buying it.

“I should have known I couldn’t trust you,” Aang fumed. “I should have known that you were eventually going to ruin everything like you always do.”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed.

“And just what exactly is that supposed to mean?” he said in a low, dangerous voice.

Toph, who had been practicing earthbending a bit further away, finally arrived. She started to ask what was happening, but Suki shushed her.

“These two are fighting over you-know-what, and I think it’s best we let them dish it out,” she whispered. "If it gets violent, we'll step in."

The earthbender nodded.

~*~*~

Aang’s eyes were shooting daggers at Zuko, who glowered right back.

Katara had watched their argument with knots forming in the pit of her stomach. She held her hand out in an attempt to pacify Aang.

“You know that’s not true, he’s not like that anymore,” Katara said softly.

But he jerked away and looked at her, betrayed.

“How could you, Katara? I thought I made it obvious how I felt and what I wanted…” he trailed off sadly.

Katara stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Hadn’t she already gone over this with him the night of the play? That she’d been confused and wasn’t even sure if she saw a future with him?

"What about what I want, though?" she asked, unable to keep the anger out of her voice. "I tried talking with you about this before, but you wouldn't listen. You either ignored me or forced yourself on me like the night of the play-"

"Wait, what?!"

Her brother and Zuko exchanged a look at each other after their simultaneous outburst. Sokka folded his arms, but Zuko's had uncrossed as his fists started to smoke.

Katara realized what she'd said and hid her face behind her hands, mortified. She really hadn't meant to, but her frustration had been building up as well over the last few days, and her words just slipped out unbidden.

"I shouldn't have said anything, forget it," she mumbled as Suki walked over and patted her shoulder reassuringly. 

Aang's face had gone completely red and he looked just as agitated as she felt.

"No, maybe it's a good thing we're getting all of this out in the open," Sokka said harshly, looking over at Zuko. "You didn't know either?"

Zuko had been glaring at Aang and shook his head.

"She told me they'd kissed, without actually using names, but she didn't mention _that_ particular detail," he fumed, looking over at Sokka.

Something inside Aang cracked just a bit.

"Look, was I wrong to force anything on her? Yes, I'm sorry and I shouldn't have done that. But how is what I did any worse than whatever you've done?" he snapped at Zuko. “All I did was kiss her, but you two stayed out all night on the beach. I saw you both walking up the morning after the party."

There was a sharp intake of breath from several of the present company as all of the blood drained from Zuko’s face.

Toph could have sworn his pulse stopped for just a moment. She'd heard of his infamous temper in the past, and now it looked like she was finally going to be around whenever it erupted.

Instead, he breathed heavily and narrowed his eyes at Aang, who was glowering at him again. Then he remembered he wasn't the only one the Avatar just dragged through the mud.

Zuko looked at Katara, and the expression on her face was enough to break his heart.

~*~*~

She wished she could sink into the ground and stay buried there for the rest of eternity. She wasn't ashamed of what they'd done, but she was embarrassed it was being thrown back in her face like this. 

Katara just stared at the tiles, feeling sick to her stomach as she sensed Toph walk up to stand beside her as well. She missed the look of concern Zuko sent her way, his facial features softening, but the others didn't.

"Did you know that?" Aang asked, turning to Sokka.

"I did, actually," he said sternly.

Aang was not expecting the coldness in his friend's voice and was taken aback.

"What, so you're okay with it?" he sputtered in bewilderment.

Sokka's blue eyes narrowed and suddenly reminded him of the South Pole's icy waters.

"What she wants to do is her business, but what I'm _not_ okay with is you humiliating her like this."

He frowned and turned to Zuko.

"Did you force her to do anything she didn't want to or make her feel uncomfortable in any way?" he asked in a cold tone, unsurprised when he shook his head.

"No," he said earnestly, returning his friend's look. "I would never."

Toph chimed in before anyone could ask her.

"He's telling the truth," she said, finding herself patting Katara's shoulder as well.

She had known it was just a matter of time until Aang would blow up and she knew he wasn't going to react well at all, but this was way over the line. Once their argument was over, she was going to let him know just how far he'd crossed it.

~*~*~

Katara somehow found the courage to look up. Her eyes immediately met Zuko's, who looked like he was torn between wanting to comfort her and wanting to tear the Avatar to shreds with his bare hands.

She smiled slightly in reassurance at him, and something in his face relaxed a bit. She then turned to face Aang and let out a slow, icy breath. 

"I'm sorry your feelings got hurt, I really am," she said gently. "I'm not even mad about what happened the night of the play."

She held up her hand to silence Zuko and Sokka's protests.

"But the truth is, I know how you feel, and I care about you too... but I don't want the same thing you do. At one point I thought I did, but not anymore. Not for the last few months... not since the day of the invasion."

The Avatar looked as stricken as if she'd slapped him. That was when he'd kissed her and also the day Zuko finally joined their side. It all fit now.

“I... I'm sorry," he said quietly after a minute of silence. "I just felt like I lost my chance, and now it feels like I’m losing you, too."

Against his better judgement, Zuko spoke out. He was still furious at Aang for humiliating Katara earlier, and it had taken all of his self control to not beat him to a pulp. He chose not to pull any punches now.

“She’s not yours to lose. If she wanted to be with you, she would have done something about it, war or no war.”

A cold silence settled over the courtyard, as if all of the air had suddenly been sucked out of their lungs.

He continued, crossing his arms once more. A voice in his head told him should really, really tread lightly, but his temper quickly silenced it. He couldn't remember the last time he'd blown up, but it was long overdue.

"She's known about your feelings for some time now and she still hasn't acted on them. You can't lose your chance if she doesn't want you."

Zuko knew he was diving headfirst into a world of hurt whenever Aang finally exploded and attacked him with all four elements at his disposal.

But he was so _tired_ of feeling guilty about everything that he just didn’t care anymore. He’d worked hard to atone for his actions, turned his back on his birthright, and given up any chance of ever inheriting the crown.

He'd risked being taken back as a traitor to help Sokka to bust Hakoda and Suki out of prison, and he’d helped Katara finally get closure for her mother’s death. He knew he still had a lot more to make up for, but he refused to feel guilty about his feelings for her.

Aang just glared at him, though, so Zuko decided since he was already a dead man, he may as well speak his peace.

“She’s free to make her own decisions, and the sooner you grow up and accept that, the better. All she does is worry about your feelings, and it's not fair to her. Then the rest of us all try not to upset you, because we know you’ll just fly away whenever you’re faced with something you don’t like. It’s not fair to us, either, that we have tiptoe around your feelings all of the time.”

Katara reached out to Aang yet again, but he evaded her touch.

“I’m sorry, I need to grow up?" he hissed. "Are you forgetting that I was told younger than any Avatar ever what my destiny was? That I was only 12 when I lost everyone I ever knew, my friends, my entire culture? That I'm well aware that everything bad that's happened in the last 100 years is directly my fault?” 

He paused to catch his breath, then he continued.   
  
“I’m the last hope for bringing everything back into balance, and I have less than a month to finish my training. I’m also the only living tie to the Air Nomads and if I fail, their memory will be gone forever, along with the rest of the world.”

No one met Aang’s gaze. Even Zuko looked down for a moment, cringing at his poor choice of words. He knew his friend was justified on some level, but he refused to budge on this particular issue.

“So, all of you feel the same way?” Aang asked after a minute, glaring at them.

Katara bit her lip and looked nervous.

“Aang, that’s not–“

But he cut her off again.

“Do you have any idea of the kind of pressure I’m under every single day, and now you’re all against me?” he shouted at Katara, causing her to flinch. "This is unbelievable! Of all people, you were the one who was supposed to have my back, but instead you side with the main person who betrayed me. How could you?!"

Katara was shaking now and looked visibly upset. Sokka started to defend his sister, but the prince beat him to it.

“Don’t yell at her.”

Zuko’s words were quiet, but they were full of venom.

For a moment Sokka was reminded of a few years ago, of the enraged prince who’d crashed through the Southern Water Tribe’s defenses and threatened to burn their village down.

But this time Zuko’s fury was different, almost deadly. Sokka raised an eyebrow and glanced at Suki, who returned his worried expression.

~*~*~

“I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less from the son of the Fire Lord,” Aang fumed. “You’re just as bad as your father. You take what you want, and you don’t care who you have to hurt in the process.”

Zuko lowered his arms to his sides. Flames grew from his fists as he seethed, trying to hold himself back from attacking.

“You’re wrong. I’m nothing like my father.”

“Actually, you might be even worse than him,” Aang hissed. “Tell me something, Zuko, you were scarred shortly before you were banished, right?”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed.  


“That’s right,” he said in an entirely too calm voice, although the flames surrounding his fists burned hotter.  


Aang knew he was playing with a different type of fire now. It was like when he’d first tried firebending under Master Jeong Jeong, when he easily lost control.  He decided he didn’t really care at the moment, though.

“See, once I was brought back from the dead after Ba Sing Se, Katara told me all about what you said down there and how you almost tricked her into giving up the Spirit Water,” he continued, crossing his arms. “Before you betrayed her trust, remember? You got me killed and she nearly died as well. I haven’t forgotten, even if she wants to.”

Katara exchanged a long, unspoken look with Zuko before turning back to Aang.

“I told you that in confidence,” she said in a low voice. “You know things are different now.”

But Aang shook his head and ignored her, still focused on Zuko.  


“You really haven’t changed since then, have you?” he said coldly. “You’re no better than a snake in the grass. You wait until people let their guard down and then you strike when you know it will hurt them the most.”

Katara was shaking with outrage now, though Zuko remained deadly calm.

“Aang, stop!” she warned. “That’s enough!”

He ignored her once more and glared at Zuko, who indeed looked like he was ready to attack him, although his fists remained lowered. 

“You know, as horrible as you claim your father is, at least he’s upfront about his treachery, unlike you,” Aang snarled. “So tell us, _Prince_ Zuko. What terrible thing could you have done that made someone as bad as him hate you and send you away like the monster you are?” 

The words left his mouth before he realized what he was saying, and Aang immediately regretted them. His eyes widened and he took a step back as if he'd been struck, knowing he'd gone too far. Jealousy had finally gotten the best of him, just like the monks had warned him against.

Even if Zuko had still been his enemy, he never would have stooped to such a low blow.

There was a collective gasp of shock as Katara turned on him, looking more furious than he’d ever seen before.

“Aang!”

She started to walk towards Zuko, but Sokka grabbed her wrist, shaking his head and urging her to stay back.

~*~*~

Zuko stared at Aang with murder in his eyes and stood wreathed in flames, looking once again like the angry prince who’d tried to capture him on more than one occasion.

Aang felt all of the blood drain from his face, and he fell forward to his knees.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said–“ he stammered, but Zuko cut him off.

“No. You shouldn’t have.”

The familiarity of the scene suddenly clicked in Zuko’s mind, and the fire surrounding him died down. He had never shared the specifics with them of how he’d been scarred, and they’d never asked. He had come to terms with his father’s cruelty when he left home to join them, but that didn’t make revisiting that particular wound any easier.

He looked down and exhaled flames. The old Zuko wouldn’t have hesitated to attack the Avatar then, especially for that insult, but not the one who stood before them now.

Katara broke free from her brother’s grip and ran to Zuko’s side. When she reached out to him offering comfort, though, he avoided looking at her and shook his head. She withdrew her hand and stood hesitantly beside him.

Aang had regained his feet and looked absolutely sick.

“I’m sorry – “ he started to say again, but Zuko held up a hand to stop him.

_“No.”_

The prince took a minute to compose himself, then finally glared up at him.

"Fine," he said in a low, cold voice. "You want a monster? I'll give you one. Let me enlighten you, _Avatar_ , with the story about how I received my scar, and then you can see who the true monster is.” 

Katara felt the knots forming in her stomach again, and the worried looks on the others’ faces proved she wasn’t the only one.

Zuko took in a deep breath to steady himself. Then he told them about how, when he was just a year older than Aang had been when he'd been unfrozen, he’d convinced his uncle to sneak him into a war meeting, so he could be a good little crown prince and learn more about their campaign.

He told them about the general’s plan to sacrifice an entire division of young, new recruits as nothing more than bait. How despite his uncle’s warning to remain silent, he’d spoken up in their defense, and that for his perceived act of disrespect, he was told he would be challenged to an Agni Kai.

Zuko couldn’t look at Katara for the next part. He knew if he saw her reaction it would break his heart even more and his exterior would crumble.

When he explained to them how his outburst was seen as defiance not against the general, but rather towards his father, a look of horrified understanding dawned on their faces as the missing piece clicked into place.

“You mean…” Toph whispered, dismayed.

He nodded.

As he told them in grisly detail how, after realizing his mistake, he’d begged in front of everyone for forgiveness for speaking out of turn and received only fire that would mark him the rest of his days, he noted the abject look of revulsion on their faces, especially Aang’s.

He still couldn't look directly at Katara, though.

~*~*~

When he finished speaking, there was a long, uncomfortable silence. Aang felt shame reverberate through his entire body. He knew it would be a miracle if Zuko ever forgave him.

“I… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have…” he started to say once more, but Zuko just turned his back and stormed off.

He grabbed his shirt and slipped it back on. When he reached the edge of the courtyard, he paused and turned back around.

“ _That_ is the person you'll be facing in a few weeks," he hissed. "So now you see why I keep pushing you to get better, but if you're too busy nursing your hurt feelings, it's your funeral."

He looked away, feeling like his walls were about to crumble to dust at any moment. He swallowed and addressed Aang directly.

"Do you remember that day back when we first started training, when I taught you all of the defensive counters so you can block an attack directly to the face?" he asked sharply, crossing his arms.

Aang nodded apprehensively.

"Do you remember what that attack looked like?"

Aang swallowed and nodded again, looking down as the others stared at him. He'd had his suspicions when Zuko drilled him on mastering those particular defenses for nearly half a day, but he hadn't asked. Now, they'd been horribly confirmed in the worst way possible. 

"Show them, Avatar. Show them the attack to the face you'd be blocking in that scenario."

Aang shook his head shamefully, staring at the ground. Katara looked at the others, feeling sick to her stomach again, and hugged herself.

"Show them," Zuko snarled. "Show them the move I taught you how to block, the one I refused to let up on until you could dodge it instinctively."

The Avatar looked up pale-faced and shook his head once more, his voice thick when he finally spoke.

"No."

Zuko inhaled sharply and closed his eyes for a moment.

"So you understand, then, why I drilled you on that particular move. Now you know why I made sure if I taught you nothing else, you at least could counter my father's favorite attack."

Aang nodded slowly.

Zuko's eyes flew open, and he finally allowed himself to lose control of his anger. If they were going to see him as a monster or a freak, he may as well play the part.

"Good... because in case you still had any doubts, _that_ is the difference between my father and I," the prince snarled, his voice rising until it was almost a yell. "I'm nothing like him, even if it’s easier for you to see me as a monster. I'm trying to save your life so the same thing doesn't happen to you. I've taught you how to defend yourself because it doesn't matter if you're an enemy or a terrified child. When the blow lands, he doesn't hold back or pull away until he's made sure you've suffered."

He then gestured to his scar.

"Believe me, I _know_." 

If he'd said the words any less viciously, they would have heard the shaking in his voice. He drew a ragged breath.

"I'm just his son, but you're the one person he might actually hate more," he said bitterly. "If he wouldn't hesitate to do this to me, what chance do you honestly think you have?"

The others only stared at the ground, looking nauseated.... except for her. She hadn’t looked away from him the entire time he unleashed his fury, and his eyes finally met Katara's for a moment.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, although he couldn’t tell if they were from sadness, horror, or maybe even fear. Instead of looking sick, she just looked like her entire world had been shattered - and of course, he had been the one who'd broken her.

He’d been bound to ruin a perfectly good thing, sooner or later. He always did.

Shame of a different type churned in his stomach, and he looked down. He exhaled, trying to steady himself for just a bit longer. He turned away from them once more.

“I’m not running away unlike _some_ people, but I shouldn’t have to tolerate this from anyone, especially you."

Then he disappeared through the trees.

After a minute or two of silence, Katara followed him. 

Aang hung his head in disgrace. He could feel the others staring at him, and as much as he wanted to run away, he knew he couldn’t this time.


	3. Chapter 3

Katara found Zuko down on the beach, screaming ferally and shooting flames against the waves. He’d managed to hold it together until he reached the water’s edge before his rage broke.

The water overpowered his fire, evaporating them into steam as sand flew when the blasts connected, but that didn’t stop him. If anything, it seemed to drive him on.

She stood back nervously, unsure if she should stop him or let him get it out of his system first.

When he noticed her presence, however, his flames immediately died out. His shoulders slumped, and he sank down to his knees, utterly defeated.

Katara raced to him and knelt with him in the sand, pulling him in for a tight hug. He buried his face against her neck and unsteadily slipped his arms around her back.

Neither said anything as she held him a long time, gripping him tighter and delicately kissing his scarred face each time she felt his shoulders shake.

~*~*~

The courtyard was silent for a long time after they left. At last, Sokka spoke up.

“Look,” he said to Aang. “We’ve been friends for some time now, and I’m not going to mince words. You know you shouldn’t have taken things that far, and neither should he, so I’m not going to lecture you about that. But there is something else we need to clear up right now regarding you and my sister.”

"One, I know she said she's not mad about you forcing yourself on her, but I am. Tell me exactly what happened."

Aang weakly explained his side of the story.

"When someone tells you they're confused about their feelings for you, that doesn't mean you get to force them into a kiss trying to change their mind," Sokka said coldly. "It means you give them space until they let you know what they want."

Aang looked down and nodded.

Sokka looked thoughtful for some time afterwards. When he spoke again, though, his tone was a bit less icy.

“Look, even if it hurts, at the end of the day, who she wants to be with has to be her decision. Katara can take care of herself better than I ever could. Believe me, I know what it’s like to have your heart broken and for things to turn out differently than you expected.”

Oh. Aang knew Yue’s memory still hurt his friend on some level, even if he was happy now with Suki. Sokka was so good at hiding his own pain behind jokes to cheer the others up that Aang sometimes forgot how much he'd been through.

Sokka continued.

"Here's another thing. If Zuko’s the one my sister chooses, I have to respect her decision as long as he treats her well and cares about her, which he does. After you aired out all of that earlier, I noticed him looking at her more than anything else, like he wanted to take care of her. A guy who's just after one thing isn't going to do that." 

He paused.

"Remember Sokka’s Instincts? I know we've all got some sort of history with Zuko, but I've got a good feeling about him now, and I’m not going to let my sister go down the wrong path. Since he’s joined us, he's become a much better person. You know this too, Aang. The old him might have attacked you just then, but he stood there and didn’t retaliate."

He put his hand on his friend's shoulder.  
  
"If he’s the one my sister wants to be with, then I’m at peace with that choice, and you should be too.”

Aang’s head was throbbing. He had to get out of here, fast. He felt like he was suffocating. Deep down, he knew Sokka was right, but he didn’t want to admit it.

He pulled away and started to walk off the courtyard, but a stone wall suddenly blocked his path. He turned to see a livid earthbender.

“Not now, Toph,” he said weakly, bending it back down.

She ignored him and bended it up again, knocking him backwards.

“Yes _now_ , Aang. Did you forget everything we talked about the night of the party? Clearly you did. So I’m going to make sure you work through your pain, and I won’t let you finish until you’ve learned your lesson.”

With that, she dragged him by the ear off towards the mountains to either practice earthbending or chuck boulders at him. She’d decide which one it would be when they got there. 

~*~*~

Once he had calmed down, Katara pulled back slightly to inspect the damage.

His eyes were bloodshot and his face was paler than normal, but she didn’t draw attention to that. Instead, she smoothed his hair back and lightly kissed his scarred cheek.

“I wish you’d told me sooner,” she murmured, “but I understand why you didn’t.”

He didn’t say anything, instead settling down in the sand and hugged his knees, staring at the crashing waves. She normally always sat on his right side, but this time she scooted over to be on his left.

She leaned against his shoulder, and he draped his arm around her, letting her snuggle up next to him. She wrapped her arm around his lower back and gave him a sideways hug.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’ll listen,” she said. "And if you never want to talk about it, that’s fine too. I’m here for you either way… but in the meantime, there are some things I’d like to say, if that’s okay with you.”

He nodded, still silent, so she continued.

“The morning after the party, when you asked me if I was ashamed to be seen with you… I know what you weren’t saying,” she said softly, “and my answer is still the same either way. I’m not ashamed to be seen with you because of how you look or what title you hold. I care about you, Zuko, so much that it scares me because I’ve never cared about anyone else before this way before.”

He was suddenly aware that his heart started pounding, just a bit.

“But even if I didn’t care about you, even if we were still enemies… I’ve never once thought of you as a monster. You have your moments where you completely infuriate me,” she teased gently, taking his hand and kissing it, “but you have a good heart. You're brave but more than that, you love. What your father did to you… that proves it."

“You didn’t have to stand up for those soldiers, and you didn’t have to submit to him when you realized your mistake. You did those things out of love, because you care so deeply about others. You don’t show that side of yourself very often and now I think I understand a bit why you don’t.”

He interlaced their fingers together, sighing as he leaned his head against hers. Deep down, he knew she was right – he wasn’t ashamed of his scar anymore. He was still working on atoning for all of his past sins, and for the most part he’d made peace with them.

A part of him was just worried she would finally come to her senses and realize she could do far better than him.

After a few more minutes of silence, she kissed his cheek again.

“You are more than what hurts you,” she whispered, settling back against him. “Please remember that.”

He inhaled deeply, and at last he spoke.

“Thank you,” he said in a low voice barely above a whisper. 

She just kissed his hand, fingers still intertwined with hers. For a minute she considered telling him something else. But after everything that had happened today, she was worried it would sound cheap on her part.

So until the time was right, she’d make sure to show him instead.

They sat together in silence for some time, watching the waves crash along the shore. She lightly traced circles on his back with her fingertips, and every so often she kissed his face and his hand before intertwining it with hers.

At last he spoke his first full sentence since he’d left the courtyard, and his voice was hoarse.

“Katara... you don’t have to be down here.”

She looked at him, startled.

“You’ve just seen me... all of me, for what I really am,” he continued, not meeting her gaze. “I’m sorry. I lost control of my anger, and I scared you. I know what I said before the morning after the party, but you really do deserve someone better than me.”

“I was upset on your behalf, Zuko, but I wasn’t scared,” she said quietly, frowning.  


”I broke your heart,” he said barely above a whisper.   


She shook her head.   


”No, _you_ didn’t,” she insisted. “Hearing what all you’ve been through hurt me, not you.”

“Same difference.” 

He closed his eyes and drew a ragged breath.

“If you want to leave and forget everything that’s happened between us, I understand.”

He still couldn’t look at her, although he heard Katara inhale sharply.

“Are you saying you don’t want to be with me anymore?” she asked in a low voice.

If he’d been less selfish, he would have said yes and gone along with it, so she could storm off and move on with her life. But it turned out he was too weak, after all.

“No...” he said quietly, “I do. But I want you to be happy and I know I’m too much to handle at times, especially right now. You should be with someone who doesn’t make you cry.”

She breathed heavily for several minutes before she spoke.

“You’re right, I did just see you for what you really are,” she said. “You know what I saw? I saw someone who’s hurting, who’s gotten so used to bottling up how he feels that he thinks that the moment his walls crack, it’s weakness-”

“It’s not your job to try to fix me,” he interrupted.

She shook her head.

“No, it’s not,” she agreed.

She picked his hand up and kissed his knuckles delicately.

“But I care about you, and you can lean on me for support whenever you need it,” she said, opening his palm and planting a kiss there as well.

His eyes finally met hers, and she gently squeezed his hand.

“I’m not leaving,” she said softly. “Not unless you don’t want me to be here anymore. Do you want me to go, Zuko?”

Once again he should have been less selfish but found he couldn’t.  He sighed and shook his head.

She gave him a small smile of relief and pulled him in for a hug, tears prickling the corners of her eyes when she felt his arms wrap around her.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. “I’m right here, and I’m not leaving your side unless you push me away.”

He just hugged her tighter.

“You’d probably just come back anyways, wouldn’t you?” he asked, closing his eyes and burying his face against the crook of her neck.

“You know me all too well,” she replied, pulling him closer as she felt his shoulders shake once more.

~*~*~

Sometime later, he finally looked at her with a ghost of a smile.

She gently kissed his lips before snuggling back up against him.

”Thank you,” he whispered, his voice steadier now. 

Once again she debated saying something else, but she just kissed him and held him even tighter instead.

~*~*~

After a while Zuko stretched out in the sand beside her and rested his head in her lap, his hands folded on his stomach.

She tenderly ran her fingers through his black locks and brushed them back from his face. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle feeling of her fingers running through his hair.

This time when he spoke, his voice was calm but stern.

“I wish you’d told me before about Aang forcing himself on you. I'm not upset that you kissed, but I am upset that it was done against your will.”

Her fingers stopped for a moment.

“I know,” she sighed. “He kissed me right before the invasion when I wasn't expecting it. I'm not upset about that one, but I didn't feel anything when it happened. I wasn't mad or excited or anything. That was when I first started having my doubts."

Zuko opened his eyes to look up at her.

"You also mentioned something about the night of the play," he said, frowning. "He forced himself on you more than once?"

There was a pause.

"That was during the play's intermission, when I went off looking for him," she said. "He told me that he cared about me and saw us being together, and I tried to turn him down easy, saying that I was confused with everything going on. Then he kissed me. That’s all that happened.”

She hoped that would be the end of that, but if anything, his frown deepened.

Zuko knew something had been bothering her after she returned to her seat that night, and now he wanted to kick himself for not reaching out. He wasn't happy with Aang at the moment for many reasons, but he was glad that he wasn't around just then, because he would have actually punched him.

Instead, he just exhaled a few wisps of smoke from his nose and calmed himself down. He didn't want her getting more upset than she'd already been today.

“That doesn’t make it right, though," he finally said. "It doesn’t matter if he’s the Avatar or not, Katara.”

There was another pause.

“I know,” she said quietly. “But I can’t find it in my heart to hold it against him.”

He considered this for a few minutes.

“I know when I’ve said it before, it wasn’t in the most tactful way,” he began, “but I do think you let him get away with more than you should. I know he’s literally got the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he does need to be cut slack on some things. But if he ever makes you feel uncomfortable about something – and I don’t just mean what you said earlier about him forcing kisses – then you need to be able to draw a line, and he should respect it and you.”

She nodded and looked out at the surf.

“Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about you chewing him out for that,” she said. “I think Sokka’s got that covered.”

“That’s why I’m hiding out down here,” he said dryly. “Letting him be the protective big brother.”

She rolled her eyes but leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“Well, at least you’re cracking jokes now,” she said, tousling his hair again.

He shrugged.

“My sense of humor is the only thing worse than my social skills,” he deadpanned.

His heart fluttered a bit when she giggled. Funny how something so delicate could make him feel like there was hope again.

Together, they watched the sun sink lower in the sky, its golden rays illuminating the crashing waves below. 

~*~*~

A few hours later as the sun hung low on the horizon, Zuko and Katara looked over and saw Aang slowly walking down the beach towards them, followed by Toph.

He was covered in dirt, and he looked absolutely exhausted.

Zuko helped pull Katara to her feet and they brushed the sand off their clothes as Aang reached them. Toph stopped and stood several feet away, folding her arms. Zuko crossed his as well.

Avatar and prince regarded each other for a long time in silence before Aang bowed solemnly.

“I… I just wanted to apologize for everything earlier. I never should have said what I did... any of it,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what came over me. I know you’re nothing like your father and I shouldn’t blame you for things you had no control over. I understand if you don’t want to teach me anymore.”

He turned to Katara next.

“I’m sorry for what I said to you, too, and embarrassed you like that. From the very beginning you’ve been on my side cheering me on, and no matter how upset or stressed I get, I shouldn’t take it out on you, and... if this is your choice and what you truly want, I need to respect that.”

Katara nodded and gave her friend a long hug.

"Thanks, Aang," she whispered.

Zuko, however, stood back. When they ended their embrace, he cleared his throat and lowered his arms to his sides

“Aang,” he began. “Thank you for telling her that. I realize you’re under stress I can’t even begin to imagine, but she’s been pushing herself to the limit trying to keep us all together, and it’s not fair for her to carry that burden."

Toph raised an eyebrow. _He just revealed his most painful secret earlier and he's still more worried about Katara,_ she thought. _Huh._

"That being said," he continued, his voice suddenly turning dark. "You humiliated and yelled at her. Don't ever speak to her like that again. I'm not saying this on her behalf, because she can take care of herself... but consider this the only warning you'll get from me. I don't ever want to see that look on her face again, especially if it's caused by someone who's supposed to be her friend.”

Toph's face reflected her surprise at his threat, and Aang just looked down, ashamed.

Katara felt a chill run down her spine at his words and looked up at him, eyes widening. He glanced down at her for a moment, his piercing golden eyes softening a bit as they met her blue ones.

Then Zuko looked back at Aang and he sighed. His face lightened considerably as he bowed to his friend.

“I accept your apology, and I hope you can accept mine. I meant what I said earlier, I won’t apologize for my feelings but I’m sorry you got hurt during all of this. I know I’ve got a long way to go before I’ve fully redeemed myself, but I’m still trying. While I’ve come to terms with everything regarding my father, I’m still working on it and one day I’ll be able to talk about it without losing my temper. And… I hope we can be friends again.”

Aang nodded, and Toph finally spoke up.

“So that’s it then? Are you two going to behave from now on, or do I have to chuck rocks at both of your heads?” she asked. “Because I don’t care if one of you is a prince and the other is the Avatar, I’ll do it.”

That broke the tension, and they chuckled.

“Yeah, I think we’re good,” Aang said, looking at Zuko, who allowed himself a brief smile. "I'll also work extra hard to make up the last three days I've wasted too."

“Yeah, we’re good,” Zuko agreed. “But if it’s alright, I still want to talk one-on-one with you. There are some things we need to clear up first. You two go on ahead.”

Katara nodded and gave his hand a light squeeze before she followed Toph back to the beach house.

When they’d disappeared over the ridge, Zuko turned to Aang and crossed his arms again.

“Tell me how far back your feelings for Katara go.”

~*~*~

They sat by the shore and talked until stars started twinkling into existence against the evening sky. At last, Aang leaned back on his palms in the sand.

Zuko glanced over at his friend, a look of quiet understanding painted on his face.

“So this guru said that you had to give up all earthly attachments if you wanted to master the Avatar State, including Katara…” he trailed off. “But you couldn’t do it.”

Aang nodded.

“For what it’s worth, when your uncle and I were looking for you two under Ba Sing Se, he agreed with me, although I may have left a few details out.”

Of course he had. His uncle had always been a romantic at heart.

“So you were willing to risk all of that for her,” Zuko said softly, looking up at the stars. “Even if it meant you’d never fulfill your destiny as an Avatar.”

“At least until we faced off under Ba Sing Se, when I realized you and Azula were going to beat us,” Aang said. “But by that point it was too late.”

Zuko grimaced at the memory.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with Katara,” Aang continued. “But I know she’s supposed to marry this powerful bender, and for the longest time I thought it was going to be me. I guess that’s why I always assumed we’d end up together.”

Zuko raised an eyebrow. There it was again. Now, both Katara and Aang had referenced her ending up with a strong bender.

“What makes you say that?”

Aang looked sheepish.

“There was this fortuneteller we met in the Earth Kingdom, and Katara wanted to get hers told. So I snuck out and overheard her predict that her husband would be this great and mighty bender, but she didn’t specify which element. Since I’m the Avatar who’s supposed to master all four…” he shrugged his shoulders. “By the way, I never told her I did that.”

Zuko remembered encountering that same fortuneteller briefly during a hunt for them on the back of a shirshu.

He also remembered his conversation with Katara about her unknown, future husband from several nights ago beside the campfire.

Huh. He couldn’t help but smile to himself a little. If they actually pulled this off and won the war, Zuko thought to himself, he might just have to do something about that one day. The house with the blooming garden he’d imagined living with her in was starting to seem more like a possibility.

It’s not like he was expecting to rule the Fire Nation, anyways. He was its number one traitor who’d made too many mistakes, and his uncle would be a much better Fire Lord than he ever could.

There was still something he needed to clear up, though.

“Aang,” he said. “About what I said earlier... I could have been much nicer but I still stand by it. Katara’s not either of ours to lose. It’s up to her who she chooses to be with, even if it’s neither of us. I've told her as much, too. I'm not forcing her to be with me if she doesn't want to."

He listened solemnly and after several minutes of contemplation, he nodded. 

"You really care about her, don't you," Aang said, more as a statement than a question.

Zuko nodded.

"I love her," he admitted quietly.

Aang winced slightly.

"That makes two of us," he said after a few minutes. "Does she know?"

"Yeah... but she hasn't said it back, though."

To his surprise, his friend gave him a sad smile.

"I didn't want to admit it before," he said, "but she cares about you a lot, too. Even more than she lets on. When she's ready, she'll let you know."

Zuko didn't know what to say, so he just ducked his head.

~*~*~

Several minutes later, Aang sat forward and looked over at him, carefully letting small flames dance over and around his fingertips.

“Can I ask you something?”

"Go for it."

“I was willing to give up mastering the Avatar State for Katara,” he said, glancing back out over the ocean. “It may have been the wrong decision, but I stand by it and I’d do it all over again. So my question for you is, what would you be willing to give up for her?”

Zuko didn’t hesitate for a second.

“I’d give my life for her.”

But Aang shook his head.

“It’s easy to say you’ll die for someone,” he said softly. “What I’m asking is, what are you willing to live without? If you could be Fire Lord and restore the Fire Nation back to its former glory, would you give all of it up if you had to choose between that and Katara?”

Before he could answer, Aang snuffed out the fire in his hands.

He stood and walked back to the beach house, leaving Zuko alone in the oncoming darkness with his thoughts while the waves crashed nearby.


	4. Chapter 4

Katara found herself on the receiving end of a massive bear hug from her brother when she and Toph returned from the beach.

“You okay, sis?” he asked her quietly, and she nodded wordlessly.

Suki looked around.

“Where are Zuko and Aang? I thought they were with you two.”

“They were,” Toph replied. “But they’re down on the beach, talking things over one-on-one and finally getting it all out of their systems.”

“Good,” Sokka said, nodding. “Did they seem upset, like they were going to fight again?”

Toph shook her head.

“I doubt it. Aang knew how badly he messed up even before I dragged him off to the mountains and practically threw boulders his way,” she said. “After the first few, he stopped trying to counter them altogether and just slumped down. Then I just yelled at him for awhile and made him talk things out.” 

She sat down at the table.

“Zuko seemed at peace too, although he pretty much threatened Aang with death if he ever yelled at Katara or embarrassed her again like he did earlier.”

Sokka nodded his head and made a noise of approval. Suki walked over to Katara and gave her friend a hug.

“You both should get something to eat,” she said. “We went to the market earlier, and while our cooking is nowhere near Katara's level, we hope it will make you feel better.”

Katara suddenly realized how hungry she was, and she and Toph quickly wolfed down the food set before them. Then she smiled when she noticed what they'd made for dessert.

“Are those seaweed cookies?” she asked, and they grinned.

"Sokka tried to describe them to me, and I did the best I could," Suki said. "We thought something sweet might cheer you up."

The cookies didn’t really resemble the classic Southern Water Tribe treat, much less taste exactly like it should, but she ate them just as enthusiastically anyways.

“So…” Sokka said once she finished. “Did Zuko talk any when you were with him? Anything you feel comfortable telling us, that is.”

Katara sighed.

"Zuko's still upset, but he's better," Katara said softly. "He calmed down right after I got there."

She told them about their short conversation before the shore, about his scar and what he’d told her about Aang. Her brother sat beside her and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

“You’re being way nicer to me than usual, and it’s freaking me out,” she teased, lightly punching his shoulder.

Then she frowned.

“I’m not going to apologize for spending the night with him by the shore, Sokka.”

“I’m not asking you to,” he responded, and she raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I figured something was up that night, and while I didn’t know the specifics, I did notice both of your bedroom doors were still open when I woke up at one point later that night. I also interrogated him when you went to talk to Aang the morning after. As long as he didn’t force you into doing anything you didn’t want to, I’m okay with that.”

He hesitated for a moment.

“Also… she didn’t tell me any other details, but when we were headed back from the market this afternoon, Suki told me what he said that night.”

Katara’s cheeks flushed and she looked down as he continued.

“I figured out some time ago that he liked you a lot, but I didn’t realize how deep those feelings were,” he said gently. “But I want to know how _you_ feel about him, sis. Do you love him back?”

She would be so relieved when everyone could stop talking about her love life, she thought with mild annoyance.

“I… well, I don’t know,” she confessed quietly. “I told him I cared about him too, but I wasn’t ready to say it back to him. He didn’t try to force me or anything, he just hugged me and told me he all he wanted was for me to be happy.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow and looked at Suki. Well, he had no complaints about that. 

Katara looked at them and sighed.

“You guys have been so nice, you really have,” she said softly. “But can we talk about something else now, please?”

They chorused their agreement, and they moved to the next room, settling down on the couches and talking around the fireplace. Katara was only half listening, instead watching the crackling flames with heavy-lidded eyes.

She was on the verge of dozing off when Aang returned from the beach after dark, alone. The other three paused their conversation as he walked in.

“Everything okay, Twinkletoes?” Toph asked, and he nodded.

Katara’s tired eyes scanned the room.

“Where’s Zuko?” she asked sleepily. 

Aang folded his arms and looked down.

“He’s still on the beach. Don’t worry, we didn’t have another fight. We just had a long, drawn-out, honest conversation about everything, and we gave each other a lot to think about. He’s still down there mulling some things over.”

He looked up and his eyes met hers.

“Katara… I really am sorry for everything. I should never have forced myself on you, and I shouldn’t have thrown what happened the night of the party in your face like that. I also shouldn’t have yelled at you like I did earlier. It was wrong of me to do any of that.”

She smiled wearily up at him from the couch.

“Thank you,” she said. “You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met, Aang. I’m sorry that your feelings got hurt-”

But he held up a hand to stop her.

“It’s okay, Katara, really. I’ve been absolutely awful towards you, but I’d like to start over and be your friend again, if that’s okay,” he said with a sad smile.

He held out his hand to her, and she took it.

“Hi, I’m Aang, I like penguin sledding and impressing people with spinning marble tricks,” he said, shaking her hand as if in a greeting. “I’ve also got some amazing friends who I’d do anything for. There's one in particular who's always had my back, even when I’m being a jerk, and I don't tell her nearly enough how much I respect her.” 

She grinned and continued shaking his hand.

“Hi, I’m Katara. I also like penguin sledding but what I like even more is giving preachy speeches of inspiration like a big crybaby sometimes. My hobbies include bossing people around and waterbending. I too have some amazing friends, and one of them is already on his way to being the greatest Avatar ever. I just hope he knows that no matter what happens, I'll always be his friend.”

She let his hand go.

"Thanks, Katara."

“Thank you, Aang,” she said quietly. settling back on the couch.

She listened as the four of them talked for a bit longer as the flames burned lower. At one point, Suki looked over at her.

“You look exhausted,” she said kindly. “I think you should go to bed.”

Katara shook her head.

“Thanks, but I'm waiting for Zuko,” she murmured, pulling a blanket around her shoulders in spite of the warm summer night.

Suki nodded, and eventually Katara dozed off against the plush cushions. They moved their conversation outside on the porch so as not to disturb her. Later, they trudged off to bed one by one, until only Sokka remained.

“Go on ahead,” he whispered to Suki before she went upstairs. “I’ll stay down here with her, at least until Zuko gets back.”

~*~*~

It was close to midnight when the prince returned, rinsing the sand off his feet in the small tub by the doorway. He was about to trudge inside when he heard Sokka’s voice from the dark end of the porch.

“Hey.”

Zuko started and looked over to see his friend reclining on a chair, waving him over with a bottle of whiskey.

“Oh. Hey.”

He was drained and wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but instead he sat in a chair beside Sokka, reclining as well. They sat in silence for a bit, staring at the rafters overhead. Finally, Sokka spoke.

"You okay? Want to talk about anything from earlier, or do you just want to leave it alone?"

Zuko sighed.

"Leave it. I’m fine, I just don't want to talk about it anymore, at least not right now."

Sokka nodded thoughtfully and patted his friend's shoulder.

"We're here for you if you need us," he said kindly. "Just wanted to let you know."

“Thank you,” he said so quietly that Sokka just barely heard him.

Sokka took a sip and offered him the bottle, which he accepted.

"You know, there's nothing like the icy taste of Southern Water Tribe vodka, but this Fire Nation whiskey is growing on me," he said, tilting his head. “It’s not bad.”

Zuko's mouth tugged upwards in a smile.

"Not according to your sister. After you guys went to bed the night of the play, she tried a sip and spit it right back out into the fire."

Her brother snorted.

"Classic Katara."

Zuko chose not to mention the second time she'd tried the whiskey, successfully keeping it down in order to impress him.

They sat in silence for a while longer before Sokka spoke again.

“So… you love my sister, huh.”

It wasn't a question, more of a general statement. He didn't sound upset or happy or angry.

Zuko nodded.

“Yeah… I do,” he said quietly, looking over at her brother. “How do you feel about that?”

Sokka shrugged.

“If you were the same angry jerkbender from a few years ago, I would have put my foot down immediately. But you’re actually a decent guy, and after everything that’s happened with us all, I don’t really have any complaints. I’m still going to give you a rough time about it, but that’s my job as her big brother.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything else, buddy,” Zuko said, allowing himself a small grin, which quickly faded. “She hasn’t said it back, though.”

“So she told me," Sokka said, reaching for the bottle and taking another sip. "She also said you didn’t pressure her into saying something she wasn’t ready to, and that you told her you wanted her to be happy above all else.”

“Yeah.”

There was a pause.

“For what it’s worth Zuko, I really appreciate that. I don’t want my sister to ever be forced into anything, and hearing earlier this afternoon what happened the night of the play made my blood boil. So you telling her that makes me feel a lot better.”

Zuko lightly shrugged his shoulders.

"Like I said, I just want her to be happy, even if it's not with me," he said softly. “I don’t know what she sees in me sometimes, and I know she could do a lot better... but I do care about her, more than anything.”

He missed the small smile on his friend's face when he spoke.

"Well, for the record, when Aang came back tonight after talking with you, he pretty much threw himself before her feet and apologized for everything."

Zuko made a hmphing sound.

"He's not a bad kid, he just hasn't been taught any better," he said.

Sokka nodded.

"Yup. To be honest, I would've expected that same behavior from you back when we first met you."

Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Sadly, you'd probably have been right," he said. "I was a little too sidetracked by other things to go chasing after girls back then."

Sokka then stood up and stretched, yawning.

“Well, today has been fun and all, but now I’m going to bed,” he said. “By the way, we've got leftovers in the kitchen if you're hungry. Also, Katara’s in the other room asleep on the couch. She wanted to wait up for you but dozed off.”

Zuko nodded, and a few minutes after his friend left, he quietly walked inside.

~*~*~

Katara woke up to find the flames in the firepit had died down to glowing embers. Zuko was kneeling on the floor beside the couch in front of her, delicately running his fingers through her hair.

“You’re back,” she murmured unnecessarily.

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.

“I’m back,” he echoed, smiling. “You’ve had a rough day, you should’ve gone to bed hours ago.”

She shook her head.

“So did you,” she whispered, reaching out and holding his hand. “I'm okay, but I was worried about you. Have you eaten anything yet?”

He nodded. It hadn't been much, but then again he wasn't really hungry.

“I’m fine, Katara. I’ve just had a lot to think about tonight.”

She propped herself up on her elbow.

“Everything okay?”

He leaned over again and his lips met hers in a deep, tender kiss.

“Couldn’t be better,” he said, smiling. “Let’s get you to bed.”

She found herself carefully scooped up and cradled in his arms, resting her head against his warm shoulder. She’d nearly dozed off again when she felt herself being lowered onto the mattress.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” she whispered as he turned down the covers around her.

Zuko tucked her under the blankets and nodded, smiling down at her. He locked her door and stripped his shirt off before he settled down beside her. She curled up against him and he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

“Good night,” he whispered, but she was already asleep again.

He soon followed, holding her safe and sound.

~*~*~

The next couple of weeks thankfully went by a lot smoother. Zuko and Katara maintained an acceptable distance in front of the others so no one would feel awkward, although they still gravitated together by instinct.

But at night, after everyone else had turned in for the evening, he would stealthily make his way through the dark corridors to her room. They curled up on her bed and kissed, slowly rocking their hips together almost lazily before they eventually fell asleep in each other's arms.

He'd always be gone by the next morning, so their friends would be none the wiser. She'd wake up, pull the still- warm sheets to her face and inhale the remnants of his scent before she got ready for the day.

Katara had finally started to believe that everything was going to work out, at least until their last day at the beach house, when Sokka called a training exercise for all of them to go over. Her brother laid out a battle plan of attack against Ozai, dividing them into teams.

She was pleased that she’d been partnered with Zuko for “liquidy hot offense,” as Sokka called it, and indeed they moved flawlessly together as a pair, wiping out Toph’s stone soldiers. Yang and Yin, fire and water, together in perfect harmony, ready to defeat anyone who dared cross their path.

 _We might actually pull this off and win_ , she thought.

But then, Aang had hesitated when it came time to strike the killing blow to the dummy that stood in for the Fire Lord. Despite their urging, he just couldn’t do it.

As they all walked back to the beach house afterwards, she fell in line beside Zuko.

“You did great out there today,” he said, and she smiled.

“So did you,” she replied. “But I’m worried that Aang is going to freeze up like he just did and get killed instantly.”

His hand found hers and squeezed it in reassurance. 

~*~*~

Later that night, she let out a squeal when, after rummaging through the attic, she found a scroll with a picture of cute little baby Zuko. If they ever had children together, she thought, they would be absolutely precious.

Then the implication of that statement dawned on her, and she shook her heard. _Where did that come from?_ she found herself wondering. _First things first, Katara._

She hurried outside to show the others her discovery, who joined in her laughter when she unrolled it. Zuko, however, was unamused.

To her embarrassment, it was actually a portrait of his _father_ as a baby instead. That instantly put a damper on everyone else’s glee.

Then he and Aang had gotten into an argument about whether Ozai deserved to live or not, and Katara wanted to slam her head against the wall. She understood where Aang was coming from, she really did, but they couldn’t afford to let the current Fire Lord live. Not if they wanted this war to end.

She knew she was coddling him yet again, but she tried to calm Aang down when he snapped that none of them understood what he was going through.

“Aang, we do understand, we’re just trying to help!” she shouted, exasperated.

He just turned and walked away. _Like he always does_ , she heard in her mind, echoing Zuko's words from weeks ago.

She started after him but felt a familiar warm hand on her shoulder, pulling her back.

“Let him go,” Zuko said softly. “He needs time to sort it out by himself.”

~*~*~

Katara had changed into her nightclothes and was brushing the day’s tangles out of her hair when she heard a familiar signal coming from her door. She opened it to find Zuko leaning against the frame, smiling down at her.

She just barely waited until the locks clicked into place before she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. She couldn’t help it.

They’d kissed many times, always out of sight of the others, but with everything going on they hadn’t had the opportunity to do much more than that. His nighttime visits had helped satisfy her craving somewhat, but now she needed more.

He was caught off guard at first but quickly adjusted his hold and pulled her closer. _He’s so warm_ , she thought hazily. Her body craved his like it needed water to live.

As much as it scared her to admit it, she felt like she would die without him.

Then she realized she’d been so distracted kissing him that she hadn’t noticed he’d backed her up against the wall. He ground his hips against hers deliberately, drawing a gasp from her.

After a few minutes of rocking, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Bed," she ordered. "Now.”

He winked at her and fell back on it, taking her down with him.

~*~*~

Once again she hesitated against going all the way, but they figured out a workaround by leaving just their underclothes on.

He rolled her over onto her back, and his warm hand snaked downwards between her legs. Almost immediately her hips started rocking as he carefully palmed against her. The thin layer of her bindings separated them, but as his hand pressed down, she felt like she may as well have been wearing nothing.

She moaned softly, arching her back, and he picked up the pace until she was panting. Just when she was about to throw away all caution and strip down to nothing, he covered her entire body with his.

He hitched her legs up around his waist and pinned her wrists above her head, grinding his hips against hers in a slow, sweet torment.

"Faster," she whimpered, and he all too eagerly complied until his breathing turned shallow as well.

She intertwined her legs around his as he rocked against her, forcing them even closer together. He ducked his head and let out several hot breaths against her bare chest in an attempt to calm himself down from exploding too early.

Finally he slowed down and nipped at her neck lightly.

"You feel heavenly," he gasped out. "Are you sure you don't-"

She shook her head, smiling.

"Not yet," she murmured, and he nodded. "But there's something else I want to try instead."

She rolled him over onto his back and her fingers ghosted down his stomach until she reached under the hemline of his pants.

His eyes widened and he started to say something, but instead he gripped the sheets and tilted his head back, panting her name. She discovered with smug satisfaction just how quickly he melted and came apart in her hand as she stroked and explored his length with her fingertips.

He almost set fire to the bed sheets at the very end but luckily stopped himself just in time, instead gasping and shuddering as she gripped him tightly.

~*~*~

They laid on her mattress staring at the ceiling for some time afterwards, waiting for their breathing to slow down and the room to quit spinning.

“You’re going to be the death of me _,”_ he whispered with a grin once they could talk again, pulling her to his side with trembling arms.

Katara just giggled and bended water from a nearby pitcher to clean them both and heal the small, dark marks that now decorated both of their necks. She secretly wanted to keep them all as reminders of how she’d made him gasp with light nips of her teeth and vice versa, but she knew the others wouldn’t be so understanding. 

~*~*~

When she finished, she rested her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat near her ear. She hesitated for a minute, thinking over what she wanted to say, and finally spoke.

“Where do you see us after the war ends? Do you think we’ll still be together?”

He put his free hand behind his head and looked down at her.

“That’s what I was planning on, yeah.”

She sat up beside him.

“I’m serious, Zuko. If we actually pull this off and your father is overthrown and you return to the Fire Nation, what kind of future do you see for us?”

A few minutes passed before he spoke.

“If my father is defeated, I don’t know if I’d be ready to take the throne. I think my uncle would be a much better option to bring my country back into balance,” he said softly, running his fingers up and down her bare back.

“As for you and me… ever since the night we danced together, I don’t know why, but I’ve been picturing you living in a house near the ocean. I can’t grow anything to save my life, but I thought I could hire someone to plant you a garden full of your favorite flowers. You could be or do anything you want, and I’ll support it. Whether you wanted to be an ambassador or healer or something else entirely.”

She mulled this over for a minute, smiling before it faded into a light frown. 

“What about you, though? What if you somehow became Fire Lord? Zuko, I don’t think I fit the criteria to be a proper lady of the Fire Nation, and I don’t think they’ll accept me anyways. I’m just not one of them.”

He sat up beside her.

“Even if by some miracle I was crowned Fire Lord, I’d still want you by my side,” he said quietly, stroking her hair. “That is, if you’ll have me. You’d be a brilliant Fire Lady. Everyone who met you would fall in love with you like I have, and they’d be foolish not to.”

Time suddenly seemed to freeze, and she heard a ringing in her ears. Katara found herself struggling to speak.

“Wait, are you saying you want to marry me?” she whispered.

His face flushed scarlet and he started stammering.

“Oh no, of course not! I mean, it’s not like that, I just meant I wanted you there but not that way, and I figured, there’s just so much at stake so there’s no point right now, at least until the war is over.”

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ he thought to himself, praying she wouldn’t be offended. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to be upset.

When he first laid eyes on her at the dance and thought up that idea of buying her a garden and a beachside house, he’d initially chalked it up afterwards as typical teenage hormones. But then, after his conversation with Aang on the beach, he realized something in the darkness after his friend had posed that final question.

It didn’t matter what any of his people thought or that it went against both his culture and hers.

He wanted her by his side, even if he was shunned by the rest of the world and never inherited his birthright as Fire Lord.

He didn’t need a title or a crown. He just needed her – that is, if she’d have him. But first things first. 

She settled back down on the bed and pulled the blankets up around her shoulders. He laid down as well and held her close as she rested her head above his heart, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.

At last she spoke.

“Zuko… I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days, but I’ve got this terrible feeling like I’m going to lose you,” she said softly.

He hugged her even tighter.

“You won’t,” he said, hoping he sounded confident. “Let’s just rest, and when the sun rises tomorrow it’ll be a new day. We’ll see where it takes us.”

~*~*~

The next morning, they awoke to discover Aang and Momo had vanished, with just his footprints leading into the ocean as their only clue.

~*~*~

Katara trusted Zuko’s judgement completely, but even she had her doubts when he landed Appa outside of a seedy-looking Earth Kingdom tavern.

When they walked inside and saw an all-too familiar face, though, everything clicked. _June_. Of course. The bounty hunter and her shirshu had been able to track them before with just her necklace, so if anyone could help them, it would be her.

But that didn’t mean Katara had to like it. She noticed Zuko didn’t look pleased to be there either, but time was running out.

The bounty hunter looked up as they approached, and judging by the scowl on her face, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about their reunion.

“Oh, great,” she said in that husky voice. “It’s Prince Pouty. Where’s your creepy grandpa?”

Despite her apprehension, Katara bit back a smirk. She’d have to remember that nickname whenever Zuko got into one of his grumpier moods.

Zuko however looked entirely unamused.

“He’s my uncle, and he’s not here.”

The older woman considered this for a second, then glanced back up at them.

“I see you worked things out with your girlfriend.”

Katara felt all of the blood rush to her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko had also turned scarlet. Technically it was true, but they’d never bothered to define it before now.

They started to stammer out a denial, but June just leaned back and shrugged.

“Okay, okay! Sheesh, I was only teasing. So what do you want?”

~*~*~

June and her shirshu Nyla led them on a hunt that lasted the rest of the night and all of the next day. Nyla had been unable to locate Aang, but he did pick up a trail leading to Iroh.

They took turns guiding Appa, but Zuko could still feel exhaustion creeping in his bones when they finally landed later that night outside the destroyed outer wall of Ba Sing Se. June wished them good luck, then she was gone.

He looked at the others and suggested they camp for the night, which earned him no complaints. Zuko stretched out on one of Appa’s fluffy legs, struggling to keep his eyes open. Then, he realized Katara had laid down beside him.

She started to scoot up against him but was stopped by her brother pointedly clearing his throat from nearby. She rolled her eyes but was too tired to point out the hypocrisy, since Sokka was curled up next to Suki.

Instead, she just reached out and held Zuko’s hand as they looked up together into the night sky. He’d almost dozed off when he heard her speak.

“Zuko,” she whispered softly enough so only he could hear. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but whatever comes, promise you'll stay with me.”

He just nodded and lazily brought her hand to his lips for a brief kiss. A few minutes later, she turned away from him and he heard her breathing slow down as she fell asleep.

To ward off the temptation to curl up against her and incur Sokka's wrath, he turned the opposite way and soon dozed off as well.

~*~*~

The next morning, after a night of many joyful reunions and surprises, Zuko listened in shock as his uncle offered him the chance to ascend the throne and take his birthright as Fire Lord at last.

He’d been reluctant at first, citing all of his past sins, but his uncle’s calm words reassured him that he could do it – just not alone. This time, there was no hesitancy in his voice when he spoke again.

“Katara. How would you like to help me put Azula in her place?” he asked

Her eyes shone as she replied, reassuring him that no matter what happened next, she'd be there beside him.

“It would be my pleasure.”


End file.
